Humidifier



S. W. MEARS June 11, 1935. I

HUMIDIFIER Filed NOV. 29

INVENTOR SZoweZZ 20. Means v ATTORNEYS Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES HUMmIFIER H Stowell W. Mears, New' York, N. Y. Application November 29, 1932, Serial No. 644,855

4 Claims.

This invention comprehends an improvement in humidifiers andan object of the invention is to provide a humidifier simple in construction andwhich is automatic in operation.

: A further object of the invention is to provide a humidifier which may be used in combination with the modern radiator.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a humidifier which may be attached to a modern steam or hot water radiator and at the same time occupy a minimum of space.

A further object is to provide a humidifier which includes nested pipes, the inner pipe constituting a passage or conveyor for hot water or steam, and the outer pipe spaced sufficiently from the inner pipe to provide a water chamber so that a thin film of water around the inner hot pipe is rapidly evaporated, the outer pipe having outlets for the escape of vapor, and said pipes arranged in any desired form for the continuous passage of the heating fluid and water.

By reason of a construction of this character I am enabled to rapidly vaporize water in close proximity to a steam radiator or the like, so as to humidify the air and prevent condensation, as there are no cold surfaces exposed to the moist air.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying -drawing,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, showing the humidifier as it may be attached to a radiator;

Figure 2 is a side View of the valve control means, with the outer casing broken away to show the operation of the valve;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the humidifier;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the humidifier in a preferred position on an ordinary radiator; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating a modification.

My improved humidifier in its broadest aspect 50 includes an inner pipe or tube 1 for the passage of steam, hot water or other fluid, and this inner pipe 1 is enclosed in an outer pipe 8, which is appreciably larger in diameter than the inner pipe 1 so as to provide an annular space around the inner pipe for the accommodation of water or other liquid to be vaporized bycontact with the outer surface of the inner pipe.

These.- pipes may take various forms. but. a simple and effective arrangement is illustrated in Figural of the drawing. in which I provide 5 the pipes as having a series of, relatively straight sections connected by return bends 9, so that both the heating fluid and the water have a continuous passage through the pipes, there being a suflicient incline to the pipes to insure a flow of the water by gravity.

I preferably provide the straight portions of the pipes 8 with longitudinal slots In in their upper portions for the escape of vapor, but it is, of course, .to be understood that these outlets 15 may be varied tosuit the trade, in any event it is, of course, necessary to provide in the upper portions of the pipes some form of outlet, and longitudinal slots do provide a free escape for the vapor. If desired, flanges or extensions ll may be provided at the sides of the slots, as indicated in Figure 6 of the drawing, which add to the area of the water chamber and prevent any possibility of overflow of water.

Reference character A is employed to indicate a radiator, and it is to be assumed, of course, that this radiator may be of any form but for purposes of illustration we will assume that it is an ordinary type of household steam or hot water radiator. Radiators of this character usually have an inlet and an outlet, and I may conveniently employ the inlet and outlet, indicated by reference characters I2 and I3 respectively, to receive the respective ends of the inner pipe ,1 and coupled thereto.

The outer or water pipe ID has a closed end I4 at its lowest point and any suitable drain I 5 may be provided to carry off an excess of water which passes to the lowest end of the water pipe. l6 represents the water supply pipe which may have 40 a valve outlet I'l communicating with the outer pipe at its upper portion, and said water pipe 16 may have another valved outlet l8 communicating with the lower portions of the humidifier so as to supply Water at difierent elevations .15 or out 01f the supply, as may be necessary in accordance with the temperature of the radiator and the amount of moisture desired.

The invention is, of course, not limited to any particular manner of controlling the supply of water, but I have illustrated for the purpose a solenoid valve l9 controlling the passage of water through .the supply pipe 16, and this solenoid valve is included in an electric circuit with a thermostat 20, or with an element which is sen- 5B sitive to humidity. Thus, it may be assumed that the device illustrated in Figure 1 by the reference numeral 20 may constitute either a thermostat or a device sensitive to humidity.

To insure a maximum of contact of the water with the inner pipe 1, I preferably provide a spiral baffle 19 between the pipes 1 and 8, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

While I have illustrated what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood, that various slight changes may be made with regard to the form and arrangement of parts without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to,

the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations exterior of the inner pipe, and said outer pipe having a longitudinal slot in its upper portion.

2. A humidifier including an inner pipe for hot fluid, an outer pipe enclosing the first mentioned pipe, said pipes inclining from their upper to their lower ends so that Water supplied to the upper end of the outer pipe will flow by gravity to the lower end of the said pipe, said pipes comprising a plurality of straight sections connected by return bends, the straight portions of the pipe having slots in their upper portions.

3. A humidifier including inclined inner and outer pipes, the inner pipe constituting a passage for hot fluid and the outer pipe constituting a water chamber and having outlets for vapor in its .wall, saidwater pipe having a drain outlet at its lowest portion and a water inlet at its highest portion, the outer pipe being of slightly greater diameter than the, inner pipe so that a thin film of water is presented around the outside of the inner pipe.

4. A humidifier comprising inner and outer pipes, the inner pipe constituting a hot fluid passage,'and the outer pipe constituting a water and vaporizing chamber; said outerpipe having an outlet for the escape of vapor, anda baflie between said pipes. g

STQWELL W.'MEARS. 

